Chocolate Raspberry Chia Pudding (Chia Dessert) (2024)

Learn how to make Chocolate AND Raspberry Chia Pudding!

These easy-to-follow instructions will teach you how to make TWO different chia pudding flavors, chocolate & raspberry, and how to elevate each flavor into an irresistible chia seed dessert with a creamy texture.

At a glance, these gorgeous bowls of chia pudding may look like an indulgent dessert loaded with sugar, but they are actually quite healthy.

The sweetness comes from dark chocolate, raspberries, and maple syrup, so there is no added refined sugar!

Chia seeds have become very popular in recent years because they are very nutritious and super versatile.

They are loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and antioxidants. In addition, they are packed with soluble fiber, which helps regulate digestion and keep you feeling full and satisfied.

Chia seeds can be used as an egg substitute, added to smoothies and energy drinks, and used to thicken soups and sauces. But the most popular way to prepare chia seeds is to make chia pudding.

You’ll love these delicious chia desserts when you’re craving something sweet but want to stick to your health and wellness goals.

In this post, I’m sharing two chia pudding recipes, one for chocolate chia pudding and one for raspberry chia pudding, along with toppings to choose from to make your chocolate and raspberry chia pudding an elegant, restaurant-worthy dessert.

The Story of This Recipe

The classic flavor combination of chocolate and raspberries is often used to create traditional desserts, cakes, and ice cream. It’s also one of my favorite flavor combinations.

So, a few years ago, I decided to try and make a chia seed dessert with chocolate and raspberries. It worked really well, and I published the original recipe for the Chocolate and Raspberry Chia Pudding (#4) in December 2013 here on the blog.

As time passed, I came up with three more ways to make this dessert using the same ingredients.

So in May of 2017, I updated this post to include Chocolate Chia Pudding with Raspberries (#1), Raspberry Chia Pudding with Chocolate Chunks (#2), and Chocolate Chia Pudding with Raspberry Sauce (#3).

I also improved the original recipe by adjusting the ratio of the chocolate pudding and adding a small amount of maple syrup (the original recipe didn’t include any sweetener, and many people commented that the dessert wasn’t sweet enough).

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Here are five reasons why this recipe is a keeper:

It gives plain chocolate and raspberry chia pudding an Insta-worthy upgrade.
There are only five simple ingredients, and it’s very easy to make dairy-free and vegan.
This healthy treat is nutritious and delicious!
These chia desserts are perfect for brunch events, date nights, Christmas mornings, Valentine’s Day, and Galentine’s Day.
This chia pudding recipe is very easy to make, and no cooking is required (apart from melting some chocolate).

Ingredients You’ll Need

This recipe has instructions for two flavors of chia pudding: chocolate chia pudding and raspberry chia pudding.

Here’s what you’ll need:

For Chocolate Chia Pudding

Dark chocolate – I like using 72% dark chocolate, but any dark chocolate that is at least 70% or higher works. It’s best to use a good-quality chocolate bar rather than chocolate chips. Chocolate chips have added stabilizers and don’t melt as nicely as a bar of chocolate.
Milk – This can be dairy milk or any dairy-free milk alternative, like almond, cashew, oat, or macadamia nut milk. I also like using boxed coconut milk beverage. If you want to use canned coconut milk, you will need to blend it with water. Plain coconut water works too.
Chia seeds – The best chia seeds are speckled black or white. Avoid chia seeds that are a solid brown color. The uniform color indicates the seeds were harvested before maturity, resulting in fewer nutrients and a bitter taste.

For Raspberry Chia Pudding

Raspberries – I encourage you to use fresh raspberries when they’re in season, but frozen raspberries work just as well when they’re out of season.
Milk – Your choice! This can be regular milk or your favorite vegan milk alternative.
Maple syrup – I didn’t initially include a sweetener in this recipe, but a few readers mentioned that the pudding wasn’t sweet enough. With a touch of pure maple syrup is now perfect. Note that maple syrup is only added to the raspberry pudding.
Chia seeds – You can use black or white chia seeds. They are nearly identical nutritionally and in flavor.

Toppings

Enhance the chocolatey and raspberry elements with chocolate and raspberry garnishes!

I like topping chocolate chia pudding with raspberries or raspberry sauce and raspberry chia pudding with dark chocolate chunks or dark chocolate shavings.

How To Make Chocolate and Raspberry Chia Pudding

Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make chocolate and raspberry chia pudding. Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, assembly is a cinch!

For the full recipes, see the recipe card below.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Make the chocolate milk: Add the chocolate and a cup of milk to a small pot, and heat over medium heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Then, remove the pot from the heat, and mix in the remaining milk. Let cool to room temperature.
Mix and chill: Add the cooled chocolate milk to a glass container with a tight-fitted lid or a glass jar. Add the chia seeds and mix well, then let it stand for about ten minutes. Give the mixture another good stir, then cover and refrigerate overnight—fluff with a fork before serving.

Raspberry Chia Pudding

Make the raspberry milk: Puree the raspberries in a food processor or high-speed blender. Add a cup of milk and maple syrup, and pulse a few more times to combine.
Mix and chill: Pour the raspberry milk mixture into a glass container or a mason jar. Add the chia seeds and mix well. Let it stand for about ten minutes, then stir once more. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then fluff with a fork and serve.

4 Ways to Assemble Chocolate and Raspberry Chia Dessert

These four chia desserts are made by combining the same ingredients in a slightly different way.

1. Chocolate Chia Pudding with Raspberries

This chia dessert is made by simply combining the chocolate chia seed pudding with raspberries.

Although you can use fresh or frozen raspberries to make this dessert, fresh raspberries are preferred because they hold their shape better and don’t contain extra moisture.

2. Raspberry Chia Pudding with Chocolate Chunks

This chia dessert is made by combining raspberry chia pudding with chocolate chunks. You can use fresh or frozen raspberries for this chia pudding.

Make sure to use a good quality 70% dark chocolate and make chocolate chunks yourself by simply chopping the chocolate with a knife. You can also use cacao nibs.

Decorate this chia dessert with a few raspberries to add some color.

3. Chocolate Chia Pudding with Raspberry Sauce

This chia dessert is made by combining chocolate chia pudding with raspberry sauce.

You can make the sauce smoother if you push it through a mesh strainer to remove the tiny raspberry seeds.

4. Chocolate Raspberry Chia Pudding

This is the original recipe that was first published in December 2013.

This chia dessert is made by combining the chocolate chia pudding with raspberry chia pudding and garnishing it with some chocolate chunks and raspberries.

The chocolate chia pudding is heavier than raspberry chia pudding, so it’s better to put it on the bottom layer.

Recipe Tips

Here are a few tips on how to customize the recipe:

Make it even sweeter – To me, flavoring chia seed pudding with chocolate or raspberry sauce is enough sweetness, but if you’d like to make yours sweeter, try using sweetened non-dairy milk or add a bit more maple syrup or your favorite natural sweetener.
No added sugars – This is a great tip submitted by a reader. Instead of adding maple syrup, blend a ripe banana in with the milk and chocolate (or raspberry) sauce, and then use that mixture to soak your chia seeds.
Raspberry sauce for chia pudding – To make a quick homemade raspberry sauce for chia pudding, blend the raspberries until smooth, then add maple syrup, and pulse to combine. Pour the sauce through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds and pulp. Check out this post for more info.

Storing

Once the pudding thickens, portion it out into meal prep containers, and keep refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.

Remember, the flavors will diminish the longer it’s refrigerated. I found the integrity of the chocolate flavor holds up better than the raspberry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few related questions about making chia pudding:

Do you soak chia seeds before making chia pudding?

No. If you soak your chia seeds beforehand, the chia won’t have the capacity to absorb the milk, so it won’t thicken into a creamy pudding. For chia pudding, the seeds are always soaked directly in milk.

How long do chia seeds need to soak in milk?

The longer chia seeds are left to soak and absorb the milk, the more hydrated and moist they become.

So, at the bare minimum, let the chia seed milk mixture stand in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

But for an even softer and creamier texture, let the pudding stand in the refrigerator overnight.

Why is my chia seed pudding runny?

If your chia pudding has a watery, sticky consistency, you may have overmixed the ingredients, or the chia seed-to-liquid ratio was off.

Next time, blend the milk, chocolate or raspberry sauce, and maple syrup before adding the seeds; when you add the seeds, mix until combined.

How do you make vegan chocolate chia pudding?

To make chocolate chia pudding without dairy, use your favorite vegan milk alternative and ensure your chocolate bar is dairy-free.

A reader mentioned making this with coconut milk and using cocoa powder plus a splash of vanilla instead of dark chocolate with great results!

More Recipes with Chocolate and Raspberries

If you love chocolate and raspberries as much as I do, check out these healthy recipes:

Healthy Chocolate Waffles
Raspberry Hot Chocolate
Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream
Hot Chocolate Oatmeal
Healthy Raspberry Muffins

Chocolate and Raspberry Chia Pudding - 4 Ways

Yield: 2 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 8 hours 15 minutes

Transform the basic chia seed pudding recipe into Instagram-worthy desserts. Perfect as a healthy snack as well. Only five ingredients. Healthy and delicious.

Ingredients

1. For Chocolate Chia Pudding with Raspberries (makes about 3 to 4 small or 2 large chia desserts):

2 oz/ 60g dark 70% chocolate
1 1/4 cup milk of your choice
3 Tbsp chia seeds
6 oz/170 g raspberries (fresh raspberries are better but frozen will work too)

2. For Raspberry Chia Pudding with Chocolate Chunks (makes 2 chia desserts):

1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries + a few raspberries to decorate
1 cup milk of your choice
2 tsp maple syrup
3 Tbsp chia seeds
0.5 oz/ 30 g dark 70% chocolate, chopped

3. For Chocolate Chia Pudding with Raspberry Sauce (makes 2 chia desserts):

2 oz/ 60g dark 70% chocolate
1 1/4 cup milk of your choice
3 Tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tsp maple syrup

4. For Chocolate and Raspberry Chia Pudding (makes about 3 to 4 small or 2 large chia desserts):

2 oz/ 60g dark 70% chocolate + a few chocolate shavings to decorate
1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries + a few raspberries to decorate
2 1/4 cup milk of your choice, divided
2 tsp maple syrup
6 Tbsp chia seeds

Instructions

Chocolate Chia Pudding (yields about 1 1/4 cup):

Place the chocolate in a small pot and add 1 cup of milk. Start melting the chocolate by warming it up over medium heat. Make sure the mixture doesn’t become too hot. Stir until the chocolate is melted and combined with milk.
When the chocolate is melted, take the pot off the heat and add remaining 1/4 cup of milk. Mix and let it cool to the room temperature.
Once the chocolate milk is cool, pour it into a jar or glass container and add 3 tablespoons of the chia seeds. Mix well until all the chia seeds are covered with the liquid. Let it stand for about 10 minutes then stir one more time. Cover the container with a tight lid and place in the refrigerator.
Keep the chocolate chia seeds in the fridge overnight or for at least 8 hours.
Once ready to prepare the dessert, stir the chia pudding with a fork to loosen it up.

Raspberry Chia Pudding (yields about 1 1/4 cup):

Puree 1/2 cup of raspberries in a food processor or blender. Add 1 cup of milk and 2 teaspoons of maple syrup and pulse a few times to combine.
Pour the mixture into a jar or a glass container and add 3 tablespoons of chia seeds. Mix well until all the chia seeds are covered with the liquid. Let it stand for about 10 minutes then stir one more time. Cover the container with a tight lid and place in the refrigerator.
Keep the raspberry chia seeds in the fridge overnight or for at least 8 hours.
Once ready to prepare the dessert, stir the chia pudding with a fork to loosen it up.

#1. Chocolate Chia Pudding with Raspberries:

Prepare the chocolate chia pudding following the above instructions.
Once the pudding is ready, arrange it in dessert glasses or bowls by layering the pudding and raspberries.

#2. Raspberry Chia Pudding with Chocolate Chunks:

Prepare the raspberry chia pudding following the above instructions.
Once the pudding is ready, arrange it in dessert glasses or bowls.
Sprinkle with the chocolate chunks and decorate with raspberries.

#3. Chocolate Chia Pudding with Raspberry Sauce

Prepare the chocolate chia pudding following the above instructions.
To prepare the raspberry sauce, place the raspberries into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons of maple syrup and pulse a few times to combine. You can also push the sauce through a mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Check out this post for more info.
Once the pudding is ready, arrange it in dessert glasses or bowls and top it up with the raspberry sauce.

# 4. Chocolate and Raspberry Chia Pudding:

Prepare the chocolate chia pudding and the raspberry chia puddings following the instructions above.
Once the puddings are ready, arrange them in glasses or dessert bowls. Place the chocolate chia pudding on the bottom and the raspberry chia pudding on top.
To decorate the chia pudding, add about 2 tablespoons of the shaved chocolate and a few raspberries to each dessert glass.

Notes

Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 2 servings calculated for the original Chocolate and Raspberry Chia Pudding recipe (#4) made with unsweetened almond milk.

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Nutrition Information

Yield 2 portionsServing Size 1/2 of recipe
Amount Per ServingCalories 386Total Fat 22.8gSaturated Fat 7.2gTrans Fat 0.1gUnsaturated Fat 23.4gCholesterol 0mgSodium 201.7mgCarbohydrates 43.5gFiber 19.4gSugar 21gProtein 9.2g

Nutrition facts provided on this website are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a qualified health care provider for personalized diet advice and make sure that each of the ingredients is allowed in your diet.

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